CU Debuts Barcode-Scanning Smart Cooker Oct. 22

As of October 20, 2026, Korean convenience store chain CU will roll out the "Smart Cooker" on Oct. 22, an industry first that combines microwave heating, air frying and oven baking in one machine. CU is installing about 500 units first, in areas like college neighborhoods and studio-apartment districts, and scanning a product's barcode automatically triggers the right recipe.

500 unitsInitial Smart Cooker rollout at CU

About 1,000Recipes stored in the machine

12 itemsDedicated products launching in phases

90%+Employees in internal tests who said it tasted better

Key points

The Smart Cooker reads a product's barcode and automatically runs a preloaded cooking program.
It holds about 1,000 recipes, continuously updated over Wi-Fi.
CU will first install about 500 units in areas with many single-person households and roll out 12 dedicated products over time.
In internal tests, more than 90% of participating employees said the food tasted better than with the old method.

BGF Retail, the operator of CU, announced on the 20th that it will bring in the Smart Cooker starting Oct. 22. The machine packs microwave heating, hot-air frying and oven roasting into a single unit. Customers scan a product's barcode and a preset recipe kicks in, so there's no need to set the time or temperature by hand. Product managers write the cooking programs to suit each item, and new products and recipes are added over Wi-Fi.

Until now, convenience store appliances have mostly been about reheating boxed meals and frozen food. The Smart Cooker also handles items that need a crispy finish, like frozen chicken, pizza and baked goods. It can even combine methods, quickly heating food first and then crisping the surface with hot air or the oven.

CU will start with about 500 units in college districts, studio-apartment clusters and areas near officetels (apartment-style small units), where young people in their 20s and 30s and people living alone are concentrated. Based on performance and customer response, it plans to expand to more stores. The chain will also launch 12 dedicated products designed for the machine, including baked goods, pizza, pasta and chicken, in stages. A company representative described the move as part of its food-tech strategy.

Maeil Business Newspaper also covered what rivals are up to. GS25 is using a wider range of breads, like salt bread and ciabatta, in its sandwiches, and is expanding its bite-size mini gimbap (Korean seaweed rice roll) lineup. The reasoning: about a quarter of sandwich sales from January to September came during morning hours. 7-Eleven, meanwhile, saw chicken purchases by foreign tourists jump more than 60% from a year earlier over the same period, with nighttime sales surging in particular, so it launched chicken wing pieces at 3,500 won (about $2.50).

In Korea right nowIn Korea, a growing number of people live alone and the cost of living keeps climbing, and analysts say that has turned convenience stores into go-to spots for quick meals. A retail industry source said that price and speed used to be the selling points, but now the competition is about reaching the quality of a specialty bakery or restaurant franchise. The question is whether a move that changes even the cooking equipment will push food competition across the industry higher.

FAQ

How is the Smart Cooker different from a regular convenience store microwave?

It doesn't just reheat. It combines microwave heating, hot-air frying and oven functions, and applies a recipe for each product automatically. Scan the barcode and the time and temperature are set for you.

Where can I use it?

Starting Oct. 22, about 500 units will be installed first in college districts, studio-apartment clusters and areas near officetels. CU plans to add more stores depending on the response.

What kinds of food can it cook?

It's aimed at frozen chicken, pizza, baked goods and similar items. Twelve dedicated products, including pizza, chicken, bakery items and pasta, will launch in phases.